Archive for the 'Drinks' Category
U.S. Drinking Rate Way Up. Did You Help?…
Well folks, the latest polls show that drinking alcohol in the United States is at a 25 year high. For years I rallied for us to set a new record and finally, it looks like we’re on track. The housing market is in the shitter, the economy is a steamy terd, and unemployment is still hopelessly high. What better time could there be to grab your drink of choice and get your buzz on? -zOnk
The unstable economy hasn’t seemed to put a dent in Americans’ penchant for partying.
The number of adults in the United States who drink spiked to 67 percent, a modest increase over last year and the highest rate on record since 1985, a Gallup poll has found.
Though wine has gained popularity points and beer has lost some, a tall, frosty glass of barley and hops is still the favorite alcoholic beverage, with wine coming in second and liquor third.
Gallup has followed Americans’ drinking habits for nearly three-quarters of a century, with the levels reaching an all-time high of 71 percent between 1976 and 1978. But “despite some yearly fluctuations, the percentage of Americans who say they drink alcohol has been remarkably stable over Gallup’s 71 years of tracking it,” the polling company says.
The low point came in 1958, when only 55 percent of U.S. adults said they drank. During the first year of polling in 1939, just as the Great Depression was ending, the drinking rate was 58 percent.
But the latest findings aren’t cause for mayhem, says Massachusetts psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Carlat, the mental health expert on AOL’s Medical Advisory board.
“I don’t really make a lot of it,” he said. “Sixty-seven percent say they don’t completely abstain. That certainly doesn’t make me alarmed as a psychiatrist. I’m most concerned about finding problem drinking … This data doesn’t really speak to that.”
Carlat defined problem drinkers as those who consume several drinks a day and are losing control of their lives as a result.
“Most people who are social drinkers are not problem drinkers,” he said.
Beer has been the top beverage of choice since 1992, except for the year 2005 when wine had the edge. This year, 41 percent of alcohol drinkers listed it as their favorite, compared to 47 percent in 1992 and 1994, the poll showed.
Most brewsky drinkers are men, Midwesterners and younger Americans, whereas wine is the favorite among women and older people.
Wine’s biggest drinkers are women over 50, with an equal number of women under 50 choosing wine and beer as the favorite. The biggest beer enthusiasts are men under 50, according to Gallup.
The poll showed that those who rarely or never go to church are significantly more likely to say they consume alcohol than regular churchgoers. Catholics, non-Christians and those who don’t identify with any religion were more inclined to say they drink than Protestants.
Those with lower income and education levels were less likely to drink than those who are more educated and make more money. But Americans who say they drink were found across all demographic groups.
Moderate and light drinking have been linked to various health benefits, including lower incidence of heart attacks, according to several medical studies on the subject. But only 59 percent of older people in the U.S. say they don’t abstain from alcohol.
The Gallup poll findings were based on phone interviews done from July 8 to 11, 2010 with a random sampling of 1,020 adults 18 and older living in the U.S.
Source: AOLHealth
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Beer: Caldera Brewing – Hopportunity Knocks Ale – 2010…
Caldera Brewing: Hopportunity Knocks Ale – 2010
Wooo! This stuff packs a wallop of flavor and is definitely on the bold side of the flavor nation. The initial pour into the mouth is smooth, and then the bitterness of the hops kicks in immediately afterward. There’s a nice after kick after swallowing too. The aftertaste is heavy, but very pleasant. This pours with a thick head that lasts and is on the Amber side in coloration. Being an IPA addict, this ale is different, but brings the heavy hop bitterness and flavor that I need. This stuff is cool because it’s different from my norm, but definitely has similarities to some of my standard ‘go to’ India Pale Ales.
With the added bonus of the silly label artwork (Twilight Zone meets Spongebob?), this is a solid brew to check out. It weighs in at 6.8% alcohol.
These 22oz. bottles are part of the ‘Caldera Kettle Series’, which are limited, small batch, seasonal releases.
From the Caldera Brewing website: Hopportunity Knocks Ale: 6.8% abv IPA brewed with 100% Centennial hops. Big round mouthfeel, very perfumey. Different from our canned IPA. Gotta love the Pacific NW!
Lucky for me, I live next to Hi-Time Wine Cellars, so I have access to these. The Caldera website states; “Available only in Oregon currently.” Caldera is located in Ashland, Oregon. I paid $5.96 for the 22oz. bottle.
Big up to the Caldera folks for this fine contribution to the beer world.
-zOnk.oNe
No commentsBeer: Stone Brewery – 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA…
I’m a little late to the review party again…but what’s new, right? Shit, I’ve got better things to do than sit at the computer and drink beer. Like sit at the turntables and drink beer. Or sit at the table painting and drink beer. Anyway, that’s all unimportant now that I’ve got this bad mamma-jamma in front of me. It is the Stone Brewery’s 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA. As usual, the bottle is cool looking and the trademark gargoyle is in full effect. I dig the sort of, old, scroll-type effect with torn edges. Nice.
The color is light and golden and pours with a nice frothy head. My mouth is officially watering. First sip = Welcome to happy hop town. Goes down smooth with that great hop bitterness following. I’m definitely pleased with this offering. It’s got a ‘thick’ mouth feel to it. Like many/most IPA’s, its’ looks are a little deceiving to the uninitiated. It’s lightness in color doesn’t have that ‘holy shit’ effect that ultra-dark stouts have, but it packs mucho flavor into each swig. It weighs in at a hefty 8.9% and although it’s smooth, I can definitely taste the alcohol in it. It’s not obnoxious, but it’s there.
Overall I’m super stoked that they went with an IPA for this year’s anniversary edition (last year’s stout was out of control good too though). Very tasty, and I’d recommend to anyone that digs the hops. One thing I’m thinking though: If I had to pick this versus their Ruination IPA? Hmmm…I think I’d have to roll with the Ruination. No disrespect, but that shit is friggin ridiculous.
*More info: CLICK
Peace…now go grab yours now before they’re all gone!
zOnk.oNe
Best Computer Modification…
After going through a virus attack, losing a hard drive,
fighting off hackers, upgrading all my software,
installing fire-walls, being threatened with being
cut-off by my email provider(Work) and a host of other problems,
I have fixed my computer…
…and NOW it works exactly the way I want it to!
*submitted by: wArmtortillas
No commentsBeer: Estrella Damm – Inedit…
The bottle presentation of this one is pretty nice. It’s super simple, but that gives it a kinda ‘classy’ look. It pours very clear…if I didn’t pour it myself, I’d probably assume it was a domestic megabrew variety. My first impression is that it’s not in the realm of beer flavors that I’m fond of. It’s got a peculiar funk to it and, as the label states, is spiced. I’m usually not too big on spiced beers. Specifically, the label says “malt beverage with spices”.
This is very light and has a distinctly earthy aroma to it. I’d say that if you enjoy lighter brews and are a fan of spiced beverages, this one would be right up your alley. One thing I’ve noticed while sipping on it, is how quickly the carbonation has left the glass. It gets flatter with every lift to the mouth.
This one is a product of Spain and is a creation by by Damm brewmasters, Ferran AdriĆ , Juli Soler and El Bulliās sommeliersā team.
From their website:
Inedit is the first beer specifically created to accompany food. It is born from the conviction that a beer that could be paired with the utmost respect to the best cuisine was necessary. That is its aim and its virtue, and that is what makes Inedit different, special and unique.
Basically, it’s a beer for wine drinkers. After checking out their site, I’m even more turned off by this brew. At one point one of the dudes says, ‘a product that I would call, the future’. I sure hope not…for my sake…hehehe. I’m sure there’s a following for it, but I’m content not being part of it. Definitely first and last time consuming this one. (unless it’s a gift, of course)
Check out this vid to get an idea of what I mean:
peace,
zOnk.oNe
Commercial: Bud Light Clothing Drive…
For those that might have missed it during Super Bowl…or for those that’d like a refresher:
Hehehe…when dude walks around the corner, that shit is hilarious. That’s some shit nobody wants to have to be surprised with.
zOnk.oNe
2 commentsBeer: Alpine Beer Company – Pure Hoppiness – 2009…
I’ve been looking forward to drinking this for longer than I’d care to admit. I’ve had this thing in my fridge for a while now and have had to fight the urge to ‘just drink it’ and say ‘f*ck the review’. I held out though, so here we are. Beer is poured, and I’m actually sitting in front of the computer. Here we go…
The smell of this is quite pleasant. From the moment I popped the top, I could smell that great hop aroma. Oh man, the first sip and I’m happy. This is a true hop-head pleaser here. From that aroma to the aftertaste, it’s all about the hops in this one. It’s a very smooth beer and provides plenty of taste bud stimulation. It has that well-known IPA bitterness followed by the traditional American, weedy, hop aftertaste. This one pours out a very rich, clear golden/amber with a solid, densely packed head. Not that I would, but I probably could enjoy that ‘Pure Hoppiness’ foam all by itself…hehehe.
Honestly, I’ve never heard of the Alpine Beer Company, but if this is any indication (which it is) of what they’re doin, I’ll gladly sign up for some repeat business. This weighs in with a hefty 8% alcohol content, but I’d say that it definitely doesn’t scream high alcohol content by its flavor. It’s smooth, with plenty of flavor.
I’m not too excited about the label design, but it’s not that bad either. It’s just a little on the boring, uninspired side of things. All in all, I can definitely recommend folks to go out and try this’n. You can thank me later (see that ‘Donate’ button?)…hehehe.
From the bottle: A West Coast Double IPA
So mega-hopped it will take you to hop heaven. Weāve used hops in the boil, more hops in the giant hopback, and added to that, an incredible amount of dry-hopping for that cutting-edge āhop bite.ā Once youāve tasted this unique beer, all others pale in comparison.
For more info about ‘Pure Hoppiness’ and the Alpine Beer Company click: HERE
*Looks like they’ve got plenty of good offerings for hop-heads. I hope my local booze spot gets more for me to sample.
peace,
zOnk.oNe